


Still The Same

by nhasablog



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Fluffy Ending, M/M, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 20:38:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6344302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Hey.” Steve reached out to lift his chin; just like they always used to do when the other was being stubborn and refused to look at them. “I’m still the same guy, Buck.”</p><p>Bucky sighed and placed one hand on Steve’s chest; feeling the material of his uniform. “I know you are. I guess it just makes me feel as if I missed out on years instead of months.”</p><p>Steve imitated him; his fingers drumming over Bucky’s chest lightly. “It’s still me.” Bucky could feel his heart under his palm. “Let me show you.”</p><p>(Or, Steve is so different and it’s freaking Bucky out. Turns out he’s only different when it comes to his body size.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still The Same

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on my tumblr nhasablog.tumblr.com

Bucky would never get used to how different Steve’s body was. He was used to bony parts accidentally digging into his own fleshier skin; his hands encircling Steve’s waist with little effort to show that it was okay as the other man apologized over and over again for most likely having left a bruise in the shape of his elbow. **  
**

Bucky was used to the feeling of exposure as Steve curled up in his arms easily while Bucky himself was left unprotected; a shield to cover the smaller Steve Rogers, no matter if Steve wanted him to or not.

He was used to slinging his arm over Steve’s shoulders; flippantly and easily. He was used to the familiar feeling of his hand holding onto Steve’s thin arm. He was used to the neverending concern in the back of his mind; nagging at him to _do something_ because everyday it looked like Steve was wasting away even more. He was used to his dreams being haunted by the fears that the most important person in his life wouldn’t live to see his 30th birthday. He was used to the thought that his whole world could fall apart in the blink of an eye.

But now, as he tried to make himself seem taller than he was while his eyes stared and stared and stared, he came to the conclusion that seeing Steve like this didn’t make his old worry go away. In fact, it almost grew due to the fact that Steve was now fighting in the war with him.

Steve wasn’t copying Bucky’s attempt at somehow expanding his body mass, and Bucky found himself missing that sight. He had always found it ridiculously endearing that Steve tried to seem bigger than he was.

No, Bucky would never get used to seeing him like this. There was no doubt about that.

Captain America wasn’t so different from Steve Rogers, as far as personality went. Steve had always had strong morals and would rarely go against what he believed in. At least Bucky found some comfort in that, because not having to duck his head in order to look at Steve was freaking him out. It wasn’t necessarily the height that was making him frown, though, but the fact that Steve wasn’t the bony kid that Bucky had come to love. He never thought that Steve’s appearance would ever affect him this deeply, but it didn’t take long for him to figure out the source of his not quite positive reaction.

“You changed so quickly,” he told him one evening; having sat down on Steve’s bed as he attempted to gather his thoughts. “I wasn’t gone for very long, yet you were twice your usual size when we met again. It’s daunting.”

Steve tilted his head at him. “It was the serum.”

“I know, but… It just feels unreal.” He averted his eyes. “Like you’re not you anymore, but a replica.”

“Hey.” Steve reached out to lift his chin; just like they always used to do when the other was being stubborn and refused to look at them. “I’m still the same guy, Buck.”

Bucky sighed and placed one hand on Steve’s chest; feeling the material of his uniform. “I know you are. I guess it just makes me feel as if I missed out on years instead of months.”

Steve imitated him; his fingers drumming over Bucky’s chest lightly. “It’s still me.” Bucky could feel his heart under his palm. “Let me show you.”

Bucky thought for sure that he would look at Steve’s bare body and not recognize a thing, but as he let his eyes linger over every birthmark, every scar, he realized that this was still Steve’s skin. He felt an overwhelming wave of familiarity wash over him as he took in the sight of the body he had memorized so long ago. He knew every part of it that Steve felt self conscious about. Every bump, every mark, every single sensitive spot. As Steve sat back and let him examine it all, he knew that this change only meant that there was more of Steve to look at. More to touch. More to love. Bucky might never get used to it, but he sure as hell didn’t see it as a tragedy. He hadn’t missed out on anything, but oh did he have a lot to look forward to.

“Well, you seem to be pretty much the same,” he said, biting the inside of his cheek when he noticed Steve’s fingers twitching; visibly longing to cover his torso in some way. Steve always got embarrassed whenever Bucky used to openly admire him. It warmed his heart to know that hadn’t changed either.

“Told you,” Steve replied, shooting him a lopsided grin that didn’t match the faint redness on his cheeks.

“I can’t know for sure though.”

“What do you-”

“I need to test out your sensitivity first.”

Steve started giggling the moment he realized what Bucky meant, just like Bucky knew he would. It was lovely, hearing him laugh. He hadn’t heard it in ages.

Steve didn’t stop him when he reached out to spider his fingers up his ribcage. He didn’t stop him when he moved upwards to slightly more sensitive areas. He didn’t even stop him when he hit that particular spot just beneath his pits that always made him squeal. He just sat there and took it as Bucky made him laugh and laugh and laugh.

Steve couldn’t help the way his body reacted however, so as Bucky used the knowledge that he had engraved into his brain ages ago to make him fall apart, Steve was squirming as if his life depended on it. They both knew that if they hadn’t done this practically everyday for the past few years that Steve would no doubt reach out to push him away, but he knew how to force his arms to stay at his sides or above his head despite the fact that every fibre of his body screamed at him to make it stop. That it was too much and he was simply too sensitive for this. He’d trained his body to recognize when it stopped being enjoyable though, and right now he was still very much enjoying himself. Bucky could tell. He could always tell.

Bucky’s fingers knew exactly how to move; as if the months that had passed since they’d last done this were nonexistent. They danced to the sound that was Steve’s laughter; a sound that only started playing because his fingers were dancing. It was a nice little symbiosis-like affair, and Bucky knew the steps all too well.

Soon Steve would start begging him to switch spots, because if Bucky lingered at one place for too long Steve would start losing it. Bucky would then move to Steve’s stomach, which would almost be worse since Steve was already hypersensitive at this point, so going for one of his worst spots would wreck him. Bucky would then offer a solution on the form of him scribbling over Steve’s knees instead, which would either earn him a kick to the head or adorably squeaky laughter. It all depended on how merciless Bucky would be when he tortured Steve’s tummy. It was all so very familiar that Steve being twice as big as usual didn’t even manage to bother Bucky. It only meant that there was more skin for him to tease.

At the end of the day Bucky would never fully get used to Steve’s new size, but that was okay. Steve was still Steve, as far as Bucky could tell, and that was comforting enough for him. People change all the time, but some things would always stay the same.


End file.
